New Class Action Lawsuits Asserting Employment-Related Claims Hold Top Spot Among New Class Action Filings In California State And Federal Courts

As a resource for California class action defense attorneys, we provide weekly, unofficial summaries of the legal categories for new class action lawsuits filed in California state and federal courts in the Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, Sacramento, San Diego, San Mateo, Oakland/Alameda and Orange County areas. We include only those categories that include 10% or more of the class action filings during the preceding week. This report covers September 19 – 25, 2008, during which time 43 new class action lawsuits were filed. It is rare that labor law class action complaints do not top the list of the new class action filings, and this past week was no exception. During the past week, 26 of the new class action lawsuits involved labor law claims, representing fully 60% of the total number of new class actions filed. The only other category that satisfied the 10% threshold involved class action lawsuits alleging unfair business practice claims, which include false advertising claims, with 9 new filings (21%).

Michael J. Hassen's litigation practice spans almost 30 years and emphasizes general business and commercial litigation, including class action defense and unfair business practice representative actions (section 17200).

He represents lenders in all facets of lender litigation, ranging from class actions and unfair business practices based on alleged "predatory" lending and RESPA violations or alleged violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, to claims alleging elder abuse or challenging the validity or priority of liens.

Michael also has significant experience in business torts such as misappropriation of trade secrets and raiding of corporate employees, ADA claims, and all phases of commercial and real estate finance, construction finance and construction defect claims.

He is experienced in appellate matters, having had primary responsibility for preparing more than 100 appellate briefs.